Description - Talent Abounds by Robert F. Arnove

How can youthful talent become world-class talent? Talent Abounds tells the stories of master teachers and their students who raise performance to peak levels in classical music and conducting, jazz, opera, modern dance, chess, mathematics, swimming and diving, and the culinary arts. The book is unique in its scope and depth of exploration of different fields of endeavor and the individuals who have shaped them. Readers hear the voices of famous performers, from Leonard Bernstein to Joshua Bell and Mark Spitz, as they describe their early family experiences and formative years, the progression of teachers and coaches they had, their performance careers, educational philosophy and teaching practices, and their legacies. Important questions are explored throughout: Is exceptional talent an innate quality? Even so, does its fulfillment depend on the intervention of expert teachers? How do social class, gender, and ethnicity influence access to instructional and performance opportunities? Can lessons learned in one particular national and cultural context or in one performance field be extended to other societies and fields? How does public policy shape the recognition and development of talent? The concluding chapter offers insights into how public education can nurture the talent of all individuals.

Author Biography - Robert F. Arnove

Robert F. Arnove, Chancellor's Professor Emeritus at Indiana University-Bloomington, is a leading scholar of comparative and international education. Winner of many distinguished teaching awards, he has been a visiting scholar at universities in countries ranging from Argentina to Australia. His interest in education and social change and his commitment to combining scholarship with public service have led him to be a teacher union president, a candidate for the U.S. Congress with Barry Commoner's Citizens Party, and the president of an experimental theater company.